Multiplayer online games may allow players to search for other players and opponents online. In some examples, games and/or gaming systems may offer specific play areas in which a player may search for particular types of players. Such play areas, however, may create splits in the online population and/or result in long wait times.
In other examples, games and/or gaming systems may offer matchmaking services that use criteria provided by a player to search for other compatible players. With these services, however, a player may also experience long wait times while the system attempts to locate players who match the desired criteria. In these cases, to enable continued searching by the matchmaking service, the player seeking to be matched is forced to maintain the current user session of the particular game in which the matchmaking system is operating. This restricts the player from engaging in other games or activities while the system continues to search.
Some players may have very specific criteria for other compatible players. In these cases, and especially where the population of players for a given game is limited, wait times for locating a compatible player could be days, weeks or even months. Further, when the player seeking to be matched loses patience with waiting, the player may exit the current user session associated with the matchmaking system, thereby canceling the search.